Twisting and humidifying apparatus for textile rovings



TWISTING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE novmes Filed NOV. 21, 1962 May 11, 1965 ANNA CECCHI NEE GORI 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1, 1965 ANNA CECCHI NEE com 3,182,439

TWISTING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE ROVINGS Filed NOV. 21, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Off ce 82,439 Patented May 11, l65

3,182,439 TWISTING AND HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE RGVINGS Anna Cecchi, ne Gori, Prato, Florence, Italy, assignor to Bruno Cecchi, Prato, Italy Filed Nov. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 239,191 Claims priority, application Italy, Nov. 29, 1961, Patent 660,126 Claims. (Cl. 57-35) The present invention relates to apparatus for twisting and drawing rovings of textile fibers including means for humidifying the fibers during the course of the twisting operation.

The twisting and drawing apparatus according to the invention includes cooperating pairs of annular twisting members rotating in the same direction and which have their confronting peripheral zones located on the path of travel of the roving. The roving is formed of textile fibers which are ordinarily carded or worsted or with continuous floss. The confronting zones of the toroidal twisting members move in opposite directions to engage and impart a twist to the axially moving roving. The annular twisting members are formed of resilient spongy material which also serves to moisten the roving while it is being twisted.

The spongy resiliency of the twisting members causes them to adjust themselves to accommodate rovings of different diameters without changing the spacing between the rotational axes of the twisting members. The pressure applied to rovings of small diameter is inherently less than that applied to larger rovings. Thus, the increased torque required for twisting the larger rovings is automatically obtained because of the increased contact pressure resulting from the increased compression of the resilient annular twisting members.

Each annular twisting member, which may be of toroidal configuration, is mounted on a rotary carrier member, the carrier members being carried by a suitable supporting structure and arranged for rotation about spaced parallel axes. When three or more carrier members are provided, all of the rotational axes are coplanar.

Passages are included in each carrier member for feeding moisture to its associated spongy twisting member radially inwardly of the roving-engaging periphery of the twisting member.

The invention will be described in greater detail in the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a multiple unit machine embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in axial section of one of the units shown in FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in axial section showing a modified cross-sectional configuration for the rotary twisting members.

FIGURE 5 is a plan sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 4.

FIGURE 6 is similar to FIG. 5 showing a rove of large diameter being twisted.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view, partly shown in section, illustrating a false twist unit according to the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of the unit of FIG. 7, showing only a single pair of rotary members.

As shown in FIG. 3, a rotary carrier member 1 is mounted on a bearing 2 supported by a hollow shaft 3 carried by a fixed supporting structure 4. A disc-like member 6 is secured to the lower end of member 1 in such a manner as to engage an annular member 7 held between said two members I and 6. The annular member '7 is formed of a spongy or resiliently flexible material, such as rubber, rubber foam, expanded thermoplastic spongy material or equivalent. Endless belts 8 drive all of the members 1 and thus all of the members 6 and 7 in the same direction of rotation.

Each hollow rotary carrier member 1 is provided with a cavity 9 the lower end of which is closed by the disclike member 6. By means of passages 10, the cavity 9 communicates with an annular groove or distributing manifold 11 formed in the member 1 directly above the annular member 7. A supply pipe 13 introduces moisture in the form of vapor or appropriately metered liquid droplets, which enter through a nozzle 12 into the cavity 9. Moisture supplied to manifold 11 flows by centrifugal force to the outer peripherical edge of the annular member 7. The rate of moisture delivery may be adjusted simultaneously by suitable regulating means (not shown) for all the rotary members of a particular unit.

According to the modification of FIG. 4, the rotary members 21 are provided with annular grooves wherein toroidal rings 22 formed of resiliently yieldable porous material, are disposed. The porosity provides passages for the flow of moisture at least to the annular outer zone of major diameter from the annular inner zone of minor diameter. Passages 23 supply moisture to the inner zone of the toroidal ring 22. The twisting members 223, because of their toroidal configurations, have pointlike confronting areas of minimum spacing for contact with the roving as compared with the axially elongated areas for the disc-shaped twisting members 7 of FIGS. 1 and 3.

According to FIGS. 1 and 2 a machine is provided with a plurality of rotary members, as above described, the outer diameter of each of which corresponds substantially to the center to center spacing between adjacent r-ovings S which are to be treated. The peripheries of the annular members such as those denoted by 7 or 22 are so spaced that a single annular member cooperates simultaneously with two adjacent rovin gs.

The arrangement of the spongy rings 7 or 22 enhances the twist or torsion as it positively transmits the torsion or twist torque to the rovings, as the yieldable spongy material partially surrounds the roving to provide a large area of contact. Without changing the distance between two adjacent rotary members, one may pass rovings of different diameters and thus provide positive torsion or twist torque for the larger roves which require a greater torsion or twisting torque. This is apparent from a comparison between FIGS. 5 and 6, which illustrate how with a roving S having a large diameter cross-section (illustrated in FIG. 6), causes a deformation of the outer edge of the material of annular member 7 or 22 which is greater than with thinner rovings such as S of FIG. 5; therefore one acts on a larger roving with an increased contact area which assures positive twist or torsion even if the resistance to the twist or torsion by the roving having a large cross-section is inherently increased. In FIGS. 5 and 6 the actual deformations are shown onlarged for emphasis in illustration.

The possible heating of the material of the twisting members 7 or 22 by mechanical hysteresis is prevented by cooling during the free passage of the periphery through the atmosphere at relatively high velocity of the outer surfaces of the elements 7 or 22.

The elasticity or resiliency of the material may be selected as desired and thus the deformation of the portions of the edges which contact the rovings. By means of a variation of the speed of rotation, which changes the centrifugal force, a variation of the effective flexibility V which has a rigid annular periphery.

of the resilient material may be claimed. The variation of the flexibility modifies the contact pressure with the roving in the desired sense.

Additionally, the twist or torsion action on the roving imposed by the resilient material is not reduced by wear, because the material, in general rubber, does not undergo through use any smoothing action which tends to reduce the surface coefficient of friction and hence the torque transmission to the roving.

When required, moisture may be applied during contact ,with'the rovings S, S or S whereby humidification of the roving during passage through the drawing zone is obtained, which is particularly advantageous.

According to FIGS. 7 and 8, 31 and 31a designate the two cylinders of a pair of feeding cylinders of the false twist unit. The numeral 32 designates the supports, preferably providing adjustable center spacing, which support the rotary members. The numeral 33 designates, generally, the rotary member including a twisting member The rotary member 33 is provided with groove 34 to receive the drive belt therefor. The reference character 35 indicates the other rotary member which carries an annular member 36 formed of rubber which is mounted resiliently in an annular groove formedin the body 35.

The numerals 37 and $8 designate the pair of drawing 7 cylinders which defines together with the pair of cylinders 31, 31a, the length of the reach of the roving S, in which the false twist is imparted.

A second pair of cylinders 39 and 4b is positioned below the pair of cylinders'37 and 38 and which rotate at a peripherical speed higher thanthat of the pair of cylinders 37 and 38 for the purpose of providing, between the nips of the pair of cylinders 37, 38 and of the pair of cylinders 39 and 40, an additional drawing of the roving. a

While I have shown and described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims,

What I claim is:

1. Twist imparting apparatus of the class described, comprising: a supportingstructure; at least three similar rotary carrier members each having a central cavity formed therein, said rotary members being carried by said supporting structure for rotation about spaced paral- "lel axes lying in a common plane; an'annular twisting member formed of resilient porous spongy material carried by each of said rotary members concentrically there-' with, adjacent ones of said annular membershaving con-:

fronting peripheral surface portions which pass through the plane defined by their rotational axes radially outwardly of the respective rotary members by which they are carried; means for driving all of said rotary members simultaneously in the same diection of rotation; meansfor feeding a roving parallel to said axes and between said confronting surface portions for simultaneous engage ment by said annular members to impart a twist thereto;

moisture supply meansnfor introducing moisture into said cavities; and moisture distributing means defining a plurality of passages leadingfrom each cavity to the annular 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said annular members are of toroidal configuration whereby said confronting surface portions have a minimumspacing at point-like zones on'the surfaces of said annular members.

3. Twist imparting apparatus of the class described, comprising: a supporting structureya plurality of similar rotary carrier members each having a central cavity formed therein, said rotary members being carried by said supporting structure for rotation about spaced parallel axes; an annular twisting member formed of resilient porous spongy material carried by each of said rotary members concentrically therewith, adjacent ones of said annular members having confronting peripheral surface portions which pass through the plane defined by their rotational axes radially outwardly of the respective rotary members by which they are carried; means defining an annular manifold chamber in each rotary member, said chamber communicating with its associated annular member continuously throughout 'the entire circumference thereof radially inwardly of its periphery; means for driving all of said rotary members simultaneously in the same direction of rotation; means for feeding a roving parallel to said axes and between said confronting surface portions for simultaneous engagement by said annular members to irnpart a twist thereto; moisture supply means for introducing moisture into .said cavities; and moisture distributing means defining passages leading from each cavity to the manifold chamber of therotary member in which said cavity is formed, g

4. Twist imparting apparatus of the class described, comprising: a supporting structure;,a plurality of'similar rotary members carried by said supporting structure :for rotation about spaced parallel axes lying in 'a common plane; an annular member of toroidal configuration and formed of resilientm'aterial carried'by each o fsaid rotary members concentrically therewith, adjacent ones of said annular members having confronting peripheral surface portions passing through said common plane radially outwardly beyond said rotary members, said confronting peripheral portions hav-ing the minimum distance therebetween confinedjsubstantially to a point-like zone; means for driving said members for rotation in'the same direction; and means for feeding a roving parallel to said axes and between said'point-like zones'of said'confronting portions at said commonplane for frictional engagement by said resilient material to impart a twist thereto.

being arranged for simultaneously teedinga plurality of Tovirrgs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS r I 1,030,179 6/12 Hilde n 5777.4

1,867,664 7/ 32 7 p p 7 1,907,898 5/33 Taylor a 57-164 X 2,297,536 9/42 i Buckwalter. 2,432,355' 12/47 Truitt i 5735 X 2,577,793 12/51 Miller V 57- 35 X 3,137,117 6/64 Cecchi ,57,.77.4 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,222,032; 1/60 France. 7 818,007 8/59 'Great Britain. 821,460 10/59 Great Britain. 7

MERVIN STEIN ,;Prl'm ary Examiner. 

1. TWIST IMPARTING APPARATUS OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, COMPRISING: A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE; AT LEAST THREE SIMILAR ROTARY CARRIER MEMBERS EACH HAVING A CENTRAL CAVITY FORMED THEREIN, SAID ROTARY MEMBERS BEING CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR ROTATION ABOUT SPACED PARALLEL AXES LYING IN A COMMON PLANE; AN ANNULAR TWISTING MEMBER FORMED OF RESILIENT POROUS SPONGY MATERIAL CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID ROTARY MEMBERS CONCENTRICALLY THEREWITH, ADJACENT ONES OF SAID ANNULAR MEMBERS HAVING CONFRONTING PERIPHERAL SURFACE PORTIONS WHICH PASS THROUGH THE PLANE DEFINED BY THEIR ROTATIONAL AXES RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF THE RESPECTIVE ROTARY MEMBERS BY WHICH THEY ARE CARRIED; MEANS FOR DRIVING ALL OF SAID ROTARY MEMBERS SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE SAME DIRECTION OF ROTATION; MEANS FOR FEEDING A ROVING PARALLEL TO SAID AXES AND BETWEEN SAID CONFRONTING SURFACE PORTIONS FOR SIMULTANEOUS ENGAGEMENT BY SAID ANNULAR MEMBERS TO IMPART A TWIST THERETO; MOISTURE SUPPLY MEANS FOR INTRODUCING MOISTURE INTO SAID CAVITIES; AND MOISTURE DISTRIBUTING MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF PASSAGES LEADING FROM EACH CAVITY TO THE ANNULAR MEMBER CARRIED BY THE ROTARY MEMBER IN WHICH SAID CAVITY IS FORMED, SAID PASSAGES COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ANNULAR MEMBERS RADIALLY INWARDLY OF SAID CONFRONTING SURFACE PORTIONS. 